Melanoma Insights for Professionals

In our final episode of our special vodcast series, RedefiningImmunotherapy: Lessons from Melanoma , our experts discuss the future of immunotherapy, separating hype from reality and exploring the next frontier of cancer treatment. From cellular therapies and personalised cancer vaccines tomRNA technology and biomarker-driven treatment selection, the panel examines the innovations that could resha...

In our fourth episode of our special vodcast series, Redefining Immunotherapy: Lessons from Melanoma , our experts discuss one of the most rapidly evolving areas in melanoma care: immunotherapy treatment strategy. Drawing on decades of combined clinical experience, the panel explores how treatment paradigms are shifting from decisions around monotherapy versus combination immunotherapy, to increas...

Here's a sneak peak for our upcoming episode of Redefining Immunotherapy: Lessons from Melanoma. In this episode, our experts discuss one of the most rapidly evolving areas in melanoma care: immunotherapy treatment strategy. Look out for Episode 4, Melanoma Treatment Strategy: Expert Perspectives , dropping on Monday 1 June.

In our third episode of our special vodcast series, Redefining Immunotherapy: Lessons from Melanoma , our experts focus on one of the most important challenges in modern cancer care: immunotherapy toxicity. From subtle early warning signs to life-threatening immune-related adverse events, this episode explores how clinicians can better predict, recognise and manage toxicity while still maximising...

In our second episode of our special vodcast series, Redefining Immunotherapy: Lessons from Melanoma , our experts tackle one of the biggest challenges in modern oncology: how do we make smarter immunotherapy decisions for individual patients? The panel explores the real-world factors that shape treatment selection in advanced melanoma; from tumour burden, brain and liver metastases, and BRAF muta...

In this opening episode of our special vodcast series “Redefining Immunotherapy: Lessons from Melanoma”, our world-leading Medical Oncologists set the stage for a compelling five-part series exploring how immunotherapy is reshaping cancer care. Led by Prof Georgina Long AO, this engaging discussion unpacks how tumours evade the immune system, how checkpoint inhibitors work and why responses can be...

As patients transition from treatment to routine monitoring, clinicians play a crucial part in detecting recurrence early, supporting wellbeing, and guiding patients through survivorship. In the latest episode of our podcast Melanoma Insights for Professionals, we explore the essential role of follow-up care in melanoma management. Our multidisciplinary experts provide an engaging and practical di...

As melanoma in situ (MIS) diagnoses rise, concerns about overdiagnosis are growing — with real implications for patients, clinicians and the health system. In this episode of our podcast Melanoma Insights for Professionals, experts from dermatology, pathology, psychology and research come together to explore the drivers of overdiagnosis, the psychological impact of an MIS label, and the role of em...

In this episode, we explore how melanoma risk prediction tools are transforming clinical decision-making for newly diagnosed patients. These tools, developed by Melanoma Institute Australia and freely available at melanomarisk.org.au , help clinicians tailor care and improve outcomes. Our multidisciplinary experts provide practical guidance on using tools to predict sentinel node metastasis, recur...

In this episode of Melanoma Insights for Professionals, we explore the evolving role of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) in melanoma management—particularly in the modern context of perioperative drug therapy. Our expert panel unpacks current evidence, shifting guidelines and real-world clinical considerations influencing when and why SNB is performed. Topics include prognostic value, surgical decision-...

In this episode of Melanoma Insights for Professionals , we explore the cutting-edge role of artificial intelligence (AI) in diagnosing melanoma. Join Dermatologists Prof Pascale Guitera and Prof Victoria Mar and Pathologist Dr Nigel Mayer as they unpack how AI is transforming clinical practice—from lesion detection and triage to deep learning in pathology and improving clinical education. Discove...

In this special podcast recorded from the 2024 Australasian Melanoma Conference , we hear from our international keynote speakers, Prof Susan Swetter and Prof Olivier Michelin, about what excites them in the field of melanoma research. Interviewed by AMC2024 Co-Chairs, Prof Georgina Long AO and Prof Richard Scolyer AO, our guests provide their multidisciplinary perspectives and highlight the impor...

Comprehensive infrastructure is essential to driving research progress and improving patient care. In this podcast, A/Prof Sydney Ch’ng leads an insightful discussion on the groundbreaking research infrastructure that underpins the many groundbreaking achievements at Melanoma Institute Australia . The discussion highlights the Institute’s clinical trial program, translational research, biospecimen...

Neoadjuvant immunotherapy is transforming patient care in the field of melanoma. New research recently presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting is set to change melanoma treatment protocols globally, and likely to have significant impact on treatment for other cancers too. In this podcast, A/Prof Matt Carlino leads an engaging discussion with MIA’s Prof Georgina...

Biomarkers are revolutionising our understanding of melanoma by providing valuable information about a patient's unique tumour characteristics which can help guide clinical decision making. In this podcast, A/Prof Alex Menzies leads a multidisciplinary discussion on the current state of biomarker application and future prospects of biomarkers in melanoma care. They discuss emerging liquid biomarke...

Mucosal melanoma is a rare and aggressive form of melanoma that arises from the mucous membrane. In this podcast, we focus on mucosal melanoma of the head and neck. Led by A/Prof Sydney Ch’ng, our multidisciplinary experts discuss how it differs from cutaneous melanoma, staging of mucosal melanoma, management of the disease and future treatments. The discussion concludes with a case study to summa...

Diagnostic uncertainty in the context of cutaneous melanoma can have significant impact on patient care. In this podcast, our multidisciplinary experts, led by Dr Adrian Quek, discuss the challenges faced in classifying melanocytic lesions that fall into a diagnostic grey area, and explore the terminology, evolving classifications and the impact of diagnostic uncertainty on patient outcomes. From...

With the advent of effective medical therapies for melanoma, a pertinent question has arisen: When should we scan our patients? In this podcast, our multidisciplinary experts, led by A/Prof Sydney Ch’ng, discuss the balance of whether we should be more aggressive in our pursuit of identifying potential metastases or exercise caution to avoid unnecessary scans, radiation exposure and patient anxiet...

Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) plays a key role in assessing the prognosis of melanomas. In this fireside chat from our new SNB Training Program ( Sentinel Node Biopsy: From guidelines to practice ), MIA’s Prof Georgina Long AO, Prof John Thompson AO and A/Prof Sydney Ch’ng discuss: the history of SNB in the management of melanoma its current role in the stratification of patients into those who may b...

Our latest podcast explores the innovative approach of neoadjuvant  immunotherapy - administering checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy before the surgical removal of  melanoma. This promising approach is creating a buzz among multidisciplinary clinicians and researchers globally as the potential  benefits for melanoma patients are being realised. Although neoadjuvant therapy is well e...

Lentigo maligna – a subtype of in situ melanoma – presents diagnostic and treatment challenges for clinicians. In this podcast, Dr Michael Rtshiladze leads a multidisciplinary  discussion to unravel our understanding of the pathology, diagnosis and  management of lentigo maligna, including: clinical and histological presentation tools to diagnose and monitor lesions the impact of differe...

Despite recent advances in management of primary uveal melanoma, more than half of patients develop metastatic disease – often with poor outcomes. New therapeutic approaches to metastatic disease are vital. In this podcast, A/Prof Matteo Carlino interviews fellow Medical  Oncologist Prof Georgina Long AO and Ophthalmologist A/Prof Max Conway on our latest understanding of the diagno...

Treating clinicians rely on pathology to help diagnose and stage their patient which fundamentally determines the treatment management  plan. Therefore, it is incredibly important to get it right in the first place. In this engaging podcast aimed at GPs, our multidisciplinary experts discuss: Why can it be challenging to get the pathology right? What clinical information is important to include on...

The role of pathology in the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma is pivotal to optimal patient care. With so many disciplines relying on the pathologist for accurate diagnoses and critical pathological information, we decided to reach out to our clinical melanoma community to ask them for their critical pathology questions.  In this podcast, Prof John Thompson AO and Prof Fergal Moloney pick...

Cancer drugs have rapidly evolved in the last decade. Alongside the significant benefits are new toxicity profiles that clinicians need to be aware of and manage. In this podcast, A/Prof Carlino interviews fellow Medical Oncologist Prof Georgina Long AO on the adverse events/toxicities associated with targeted therapies (combination BRAF/MEK inhibitors) and immunotherapies (anti-PD-1, anti-LAG-3 a...